Goalscorer Preview - Manchester United v Valencia: Wayne Rooney

Wayne Rooney is the perfect striker to turn to for important games regardless of form or consistency.

It is no secret that Rooney has not been playing well this season; he has scored one goal in the Premier League and one in the Champions League. However, he is likely to be the man Sir Alex Ferguson asks to lead the attack for this important Group C game.

If Ferguson goes for a 4-5-1 formation then it would mean Rooney playing at the very top of the team, holding the ball up and bringing others into play. This will allow the manager to pack the midfield to make sure Valencia cannot play free flowing and passing football. Rooney can play this role in his sleep as he has done so many times in his career.

Rooney is also strong enough and fit enough to play by himself in attack. The main problem at the moment is his confidence as he may be starting to question himself after such a poor run of form in the United team. He said he was determined to put the recent past to one side but there is no doubt that his form needs to get better if United are going to be successful.

The more likely scenario is that Rooney will play with a partner; Dimitar Berbatov or Javier Hernandez. Ferguson will be looking to send out a message and the club will have a better chance of winning if some of the pressure is taken away from Rooney. A 4-4-2 will allow Rooney to drop off and pick up the ball if he needs to get into the game.

Rooney is not a small character and he should thrive on this European occasion. He is a solid bet at 9/2 to score the first goal and 5/4 to score at any point during the game. There is a general sense that once he bags one, the floodgates will open.